The Rehabilitative Process

Programming opportunities are available to all offenders,
and the best way for an offender to be prepared for success upon release.
Programs are available at various stages during incarceration,
and also available upon parole. The Roadmap to Rehabilitation diagram
outlines this process (below).

Roadmap to Rehabilitation diagram (above) outlines the basic steps of the rehabilitation process. Please note that each offender is subject to variables that may defer from the exact steps as listed below...
For a detailed view of the OFFENDER LIFECYCLE,Click
HERE for a downloadable PDF.

NOTE: During an offender's incarceration, they are provided Medical, Dental, Mental Health, Institutional Jobs and an Annual Classification Process.

The Step-By-Step Process:

To understand the above roadmap illustration, select each color block below. Detailed information will appear for each step.

Overview

Following reception, and once at their home institution, an offender meets with their correctional counselor and goes through the classification committee process where they are placed on appropriate programming lists, including educational, treatment, and obs/work assignments. Rehabilitative placements should be driven from CSRA, COMPAS, and TABE Reading along with an offenders iscussion of needs/wants and case file information.

Interdependency Key

Once placed at a home institution, an offender will formally go through the classification process where DAI Correctional Counselors will review the offender’s reception center information and discuss an offender’s needs, wants, and goals while incarcerated including different programming or institutional jobs that may be available to the offender at this specific location. The Correctional Counselor will review an offenders needs from the COMPAS, their TABE reading scores, and any other applicable case file information to decide what programs best fit the offender’s incarceration timelines. Here, Counselors can leverage the Rehabilitative Case Plan in SOMS to help guide their recommendations during the classification process.

Overview

Offender may be placed in various programming aimed to focus on gaining any necessary educational achievements along with any voluntary programs.

Education

Innovative Grant/Inmate Activity Groups

Library Services

Recreation Programs

Interdependency Key

Educational Services

If an offender has a need for education services and is placed on an academic list through the DAI classification committee, Correctional Education instructors will administer a full TABE and Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) battery. These tests are aimed to gather a full understanding of an offenders math and reading needs and estimated grade level. Here, it is critical that all barriers to receiving educational services be mitigated to avoid potential disruptions/ of the learning process.

Innovative Grants

During the Innovative Grant process, DRP awards grants to non-profit vendors. These vendors provide inmate activity group programming similar to historical self-help programming and include programs such as the Prison Yoga Project, gardening, and are coordinated at the local institution level through DAI’s Community Resource Manager. DAI is responsible for finding space, coordinating activities/times, developing class assignments, and coordinating all grantees access to the institution.

Library and Recreation

These services are made available to the offender population by the Division of Rehabilitative Programs, however, access to programming can sometimes be determined by safety and security issues. DRP plays a critical role to ensure offenders are provided literacy improvement opportunities, rich literature content, law library services, and research materials for college classes.

College

Once an offender reaches a High School Diploma or Equivalency (GED, HiSet) level of education, DRP works with local and national colleges to provide both on-site face-to-face college and college correspondence. DAI plays a critical role in the assignment process for these courses as they can significantly change from semester to semester – this drives a large workload for DAI. Creating and maintaining flexibility in assignments and scheduling to allow the offender to attend college, assignments, jobs, or other programming.

Overview

Offender may be placed in various programming aimed to address criminogenic needs, obtain a higher education level, or both.

Career Technical Education (CTE)

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT)

College Programming

Interdependency Key

Career Technical Education

While DRP delivers the career technical programming, these offenders are also placed through the DAI classification and inmate assignment process. This programming, geared toward an offender nearing their earliest possible release date, is often complicated by other offender programming needs and priorities, further creating complexities for the DAI classification and assignment process. Additionally, DAI’s Inmate Assignments are prioritizing placement in these programs for offenders closest to release with the highest risk and highest needs. This classification is often complicated by educational location, custody issues, and institutional job and other assignments needed prior to release. To be successful in CTE programming, having an appropriate math and reading level are often critical aspects. DRP’s Career Technical Education programming under DRP acts as a pre-apprenticeship program to potential Institutional and Prison Industry Authority jobs.

Cognitive Behavioral Treatment

While DRP facilitates and delivers treatment programming through contracted providers, offenders are placed on wait lists through the classification process and inmate assignment process at the right time. Importantly, is the case planning necessary to allow offenders to take multiple needs and accomplish other priorities prior to release. Additionally, DAI’s Inmate Assignment office are prioritizing placement in these programs for offenders closest to release with the highest risk and highest needs which can drive significant workload. These assignments are often complicated by treatment location, custody issues, and institutional job and other assignments needed prior to release. It is also very important for DRP to make this programming available to offenders prior to release which often requires rotating on yards, etc.

College

Once an offender reaches a High School Diploma or Equivalency (GED, HiSet) level of education, DRP works with local and national colleges to provide both on-site face-to-face college and college correspondence. DAI plays a critical role in the assignment process for these courses as they can significantly change from semester to semester – this drives a large workload for DAI. Creating and maintaining flexibility in assignments and scheduling to allow the offender to attend college, assignments, jobs, or other programming.

Overview

Offender may continue receiving treatment and educational programming in-prison or may elect, if eligible, to participate in community based reentry programs.

Custody to Community Transitional Reentry Program (CCTRP)

Male Community Reentry Program (MCRP)

Interdependency Key

Reentry Programs

CDCR allows men and women offenders to participate in community-based reentry programming prior to formal release from custody. These reentry programs are aimed to supplement any programming not received while incarcerated (employment/education/treatment) while also creating linkages to critical community-based needs to better engage and create a warm hand off for an offender’s formal release to parole/probation. Again, Correctional Counselors play a critical role here to ensure that offenders available to go to these programs go through the classification process and are placed on the approved programming lists in order to participate in this programming.

Overview

Offender may also enroll in community-based programs designed to help them successfully reenter the community from prison.

Transitions Reentry Program

CAL-ID Program

Parole Planning

Interdependency Key

Transitions Reentry Programming

DRP employs Transition Reentry teachers that focus on employment, transitions, and financial literacy for an offender within their last year of incarceration. DRP supplies the DAI programming assignment office with a list of offenders to be assigned to the classroom. It is really important that appropriate case planning has occurred throughout an offender’s incarceration to allow them adequate time to take this 5-week course prior to release. Equally as important, DRP should make this programming available to all offenders prior to release which often requires rotating on yards, etc.

Cal-ID Program

Prior to an offenders release and with other pre-release programming/information, DAI Correctional Counselors will meet with offenders and discuss their eligibility/need to receive a California identification card upon release. DAI will work with the offender to complete necessary forms within appropriate time frames, where the forms are then routed to DRP for tracking and processing. If eligible, an ID will be sent back to the institution to give the offender upon checkout order. Ensuring the ID is available and given to the offender is critical to support an offender’s successful reentry.

Parole Planning

During the pre-release phase of an offender’s incarceration period, offenders will meet with DAPO staff that administers a COMPAS reentry assessment focused on criminogenic needs of the offender post-incarceration. At this time, DAPO in-prison staff will work to refer offenders to programming addressing any unmet criminogenic needs directly following incarceration. Once in the community, DAPO parole agents work closely with DRP to get parolees into available community based services, including treatment, employment, transitional housing, and other community services needed to best effectuate an offenders successful reentry
into society.

Overview

Parolee successfully rejoins society. DRP works closely with DAPO to provide comprehensive post-release rehabilitative programs and services located in communities throughout the State of California delivered through residential, outpatient, and drop-in centers.

An offender who is serving, or has served,
their time on good behavior has access to many
rehabilitative services and programs if they
are determined to be in need.
See Rehabilitative and Educational Services